guitar newbie help
 

i'm thinking of getting an electric guitar and amp. my range for both is around 400-500 or whatever i can spare. what do you think i should get? one of my friends recommended me a squier bullet w/ emgs and a rogue amp

IMO - Ibanez is probably the best value for a beginner - really decent quality and well made. I have owned Strats, Squires, Ibanezes and am really happy with the quality of Ibanez electrics.

In fact, I have a few professional grade guitars and just bought a $200 Ibanez GAX70 as a goofing around humbucking guitar and am quite happy with the value.

As for amps, for starters I'd go to a local guitar shop or Ebay and look for a used solid state small Fender, Marshall, Peavey or Crate - used amps can be had on the cheap.

Gotta back up that Ibanez recommendation. I own 6 guitars, and the only one of them I will never sell or let anyone else even touch is my Ibanez RX. I got it a loooooooooooooooong tiime ago for like 200 bucks, and it's a bargin model. But for whatever reason, it's the best sounding guitar I've ever heard. Amp-wise, well, yeah you're going to hav eto get a used one for what you're willing to spend. I've had bad experiences with peavy low end models, but crates are ok.

Godins are pretty good provided you can get them in the U.S. $350 CAD gets you a very nice guitar made in Canada using american parts rather then the korean stuff. Amp-wise, stay away from low-end peaveys. Crates are good, and you should also look into roland cubes which are pretty solid for beginners. You can even buy mine since im getting a POD ;p

spend most of your money on the amp. just like home stereos, the weakest link in most people's systems are the speakers. if you have $300-$400 to spend, that should put you in a small, used fender combo (princeton, maybe - i got mine for $375), which will give you reverb & more than enough volume to get you kicked out of your apartment!

you don't want to spend a lot of money on a guitar until you have a bit of experience & feel. there are HUGE differences between brands & models within those brands, so you should really have a grip on what you like to play.

I second everything everyone's said.

Oh, and take lessons, so your neigbors' ears don't bleed.

No, do not get an Ibanez, for the love of God don't get an Ibanez. Go with Fender, IMO, Fenders are the best guitars for beginners out there. I have a Fender and I love it to death, she's my baby. Well, Ibanez isn't that bad, but I just consider Fender to be of a higher quality of guitar than Ibanez. As far as amps go, get yourself a nice 15 Watt Marshall, that's the one I use, and I love it, great sound.

oh haha, don't worry. i've been playing acoustic for awhile and i'm not half bad. my experience with electric is very low though.

I would go into all the guitar shops in your area, including pawn shops and play on every guitar you can. Also plug in prospective guitars into amps as well to find a good combination. Find something in your price range, that is comfortable to play, and good plugged into an amp. It may take you a while to find something you like. It took me about 2 years to finally decide I prefer Jackson over Ibanez. I also like ESP's. As for amps, look for a small Marshall or Fender. Great amps for not a bad price.
Heres some current new prices on the rig that I picked up when I first started playing.
Jackson JS-20 -- 199.99
Marshall MG30DFX -- 249.99

Its not bad at all... I still use it for recording and occasionally live.

Hope I helped!

Play all sorts of guitars. Find one that plays well and sounds good--to you. These recommendations have all been for good guitars, but a guitar is a completely personal preference. For instance, I hate Fenders. I don't like the way they play, and I dont like they way they sound. That isnt to say that it isnt a good guitar--some of the guitar greats played Strats (SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, for starters), I just dont like them. I prefer a fatter neck, with a thicker, fatter sound--and I found the Les Paul was pretty much exactly what I wanted.

My point is this--play around. You won't know what to get, what you feel best playing, what sounds best to you, until you do. And even after you decide which model to get, play with different guitars in that model--there can be significant differences in playability between seemingly identical instruments.

As for an amp, my first was a Fender Frontman 25R. Nothing fancy, but it is small enough to practice with and jam with in the house, but still can cut through and be heard when playing with others. I dont remember how much it cost, but it wasnt more than $150.

I agree. I also hate Fedners, but that doesn't mean shit. Play what you like, and more importantly, play what you sound good on.... it's all about finding your tone.

go fender, they are high quality musical instruments and you can get one relatively cheap just buy a stratocaster and you'll be a happy guitarist

Also, make sure you get something with at least one humbucker for whenever you want to play distorted

Fender Strat - Marshall. Nuf said.

an Epiphone Les Paul and a Marshall amp.

Yea, I just picked up a brand new Marshall MG30DFX for $285 Canadian. The price for the exact same amp in the local mall is $399 Canadian. There are amazing deals out there, it just depends on how far you are willing to drive. I got the good deal in a downtown Guitar Only shop from Long and McQuade.

Fender Strat, Fender Champ 30 Amp, gives you a decent sounding guitar you can kick around when you get a better guitar later on. And an Amp that comes with some nice tones for a beginner.

Probably not a squier, a buddy of mine bought one for a talent show - he didnt play it, he just smashed it as if he were a real rocker.

Best use of a squier I've ever seen.

Get a Strat or an Ibanez, best to start with. I have a strat and it is extremely easy to learn how to play on, I bought it 8 years ago when I started playing. Unlike most other things, its also worth as much now as when I bought it :P